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Metodichka - topics final, 20.06.2009 final.doc
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III. Listen to Phillipe Rugeri, a Mechatronics Engineer, speaking about his job, and answer the questions below:

My special area is electronic assistive technology, or EAT for short. I work for a company which makes equipment to help severely disabled people. I mean people who can't walk, people who have very limited movement - perhaps they can move only their head.

In this kind of work, you need knowledge of mechatronics. That's where mechanics, electronics, and software engineering meet. Take a page-turner, for example. It's a device which turns the pages of a book or magazine. The input can be a pneumatic switch - that's a switch worked by air pressure. You operate it by sucking or blowing down a tube. These signals are interpreted by a microprocessor which controls the mechanism which turns the pages. That mechanism uses electrical and mechanical devices. All three branches of engineering combine to make it work.

It's an exciting job. Each development in technology means new possibilities for disabled people. (Technology, Unit 10, Listening scripts)

Questions: 1. What is EAT? 2. Name three ways in which severely disabled people can operate equipment. 3. What are three branches of engineering which make up mechatronics? 4. What does a page-turner do? 5. How does a pneumatic switch work?

IV. Listen to Tod McArthur, a Telecommunications Technician, and note the following things: a) the number of years he has worked for his company; b) as many items of telecommunications equipment as you can; c) as many country names as you can;

d) the meaning of VoIP.

I'm a Telecommunications Technician. I work for a company which provides phone systems for business use, especially banks. I've been with the company for eight years. Before that, I was in the army for four years. I joined when I left school. I was in Signals. They trained me to set up and maintain mobile communications equipment - satellite dishes, antennas, VHF radios, that sort of thing. I enjoyed my time in the army -mostly because I traveled quite a lot. I've been to Norway, Kenya, and Belize.

I've seen quite a few changes in phone systems. We've replaced copper cables with fibre-optic networks. The most important one now is the change to VoIP. That's Voice over Internet Protocol. Basically, it's a system that allows voice signals to be sent via the Internet. You can make long distance calls cheaply.

In general, telecommunications equipment has become more complex, more powerful in the data it can handle and lighter. My job used to be 70% brain and 30% muscle. Now, it's 90% brain and 10% muscle!

Most of my work is indoors though. It's not just installing and testing equipment. I have to explain to clients how to use the new systems. Being able to explain quite complicated technology in simple terms is an important part of my work. That's one of the things I enjoy most.

Sometimes I have to work outdoors to bring a line into a building or fix a dish on the roof. It's great in summer but it's not much fun if it's pouring with rain! (Technology, Unit 13, Listening scripts)

Questions: 1. Where did he first learn about telecommunications? 2. Name a change he has experienced in telecommunications. 3. Why is his job now much more about brain than muscle? 4. What does he like most about his job? 5. What does he not like?

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